Reading device.



. ANCONA.

READING DEI/ICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I5, i915.

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HEADING DEVICE. 'APPLICATION FILED JULY I5 I9I5.

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awww@ 1., F. ANCONA. READING DEVICE.

APPL-ICATIONfILl-D JULY l5. |915.

Jenn EEGEE Ancona, or READING, rEnnsrLvnnia.

ianlinine DEVICE.

Speleifie'atiiii f Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4l., 121W.,

-Appneaton sied my 15, 1915. serial no. 110,043.

To `all whom/15y may opneemt.: I

Be it known that 1,. .lor-in Freni: nooNA, a citizen of the United States, residing, at Reading, in the county of Berks and. State of Pennsylvania, have invented or iscovered certain new and useful Improyements in Reading Devices, p is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to animproved system of presenting reading matter moreparticularly light fiction and 'the lile, printed on both sides of long strips. adapted to be wound up on rollers. ln carrying the in.- vention into effect eertainnleans are provided whereby as a strip is being read on one side it may be readily. u'nwound from one roller and wound` upon another, and when the reading of the lfirst. side has been completed the opposite side thereof may b e conveniently vpresented to the reader, `as it is unwound from` the second roller andrewound on the' first roller,` without requiring any shifting of a holder. or any reversing of the position of the holder inreading'the printed matter from the second sided of the printed strip, all as willfhereinafter more fully appear.

ln the `accompany'ng drawings VFigure 1 is a partly sectional elevation of la reading device embodying one form ofthe present invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are sections of the same on lines 2-2 and 3-'3, respectively, Fig. 1, with the winding rollersoinitted` and with the strip indicated in broken lines conventionally illustrating wound on the rollers. Fig. 4: is al detail sectional view on line -Jl, Fig. 2. Fig.f 5 is a detail section showing one of the mountings of the rollers. Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, are somewhat diagrammatic views illustrating the method of using the, improved reading device. Fig. 10 is a partly broken away elevation illustratinga preferred form of theinvention somewhat different from that shown in Fig. 1, and Figs. 11 and 12 are partial elevations showing forms of the invention embodying operating means somewhat similar to Referring to the drawings, 12 denotes a frame or holder which will preferably be made of light sheet metal and which will be provided with a handle as 13 4attached to said frame or holder in any suitable manner. Mounted in said frame or holder 12 are two rollers AL and B which are provided with of which the following the same mostly that illustrated in Fig. 10.Y

slits a for the reception of the opposite ends C and E of the reading strip,` the opposite sides of said strip being denoted by F and Gf. llhe holder 12 comprises an extended backing or steadying plate D provided at its lower portionor near the handle 13, with an opening 14 through which the reading strip will pass in running from one roller to the other, the upper edge 15 of said backing plate, and over whichthe reading strip passes, being rounded to facilitate the passage of said strip, g

Mounted at one end of theframe or holder 1-2 is a spring metal bracket 16 1 provided with centering pivot studs 17 to engage one end of each of the=rollers A and B, the said bracket having ngerpieces 18 extending outward through slotsin the end portions of the frame or holder 12. Bfy'meansv of these finger pieces the end portions of the bracket 1G may be sprung outward,-as denoted in dotted lines at the upper part of Fig. 1, when a roller A or B is to beengaged with or disengaged from a centering stud 17. Fixed to the end ofthe frame or holder 12 opposite the bracket 1G` are eentering pivot studs 19, and mounted to rotate on thesaid studsv 194 are pinions 20 provided with lugs or dogs 21 adapted to. enter notches in one end of each of the rollers fr and B, so that when `the said Vpinionsare rotated the said rollers `will be turned, for the purpose of winding the reading strip olf from one roll andv onto the other.`

Mounted between the pinions stud 22, is a gear wheel 23. has a portionextending outward through a slot 24 in the side of the frame or holder 12 and the outer end of said stud is entered by a screw 25 beneath thefhea'd of which is placed a holding spring 26 provided Vwith rounded-indented portions af-V fording projections 27 adapted to enter holes 2S in the frame orholderl :12: By vir-` tue` of this construction the stud 221nay be moved in the slot 24 so as to bringthegear wheel 23 into engagement with onev or `the other of the pinions 20, and when shifted to a desiredv position said gear wheelwill be retained in 26, as will be understood. y p y The gear wheel 23 is vprovided with a l20, onl a ratchet wheel portion 29 which rotates therewith, and which is preferably formed integral with. said gear wheeh, as shown in Fig/l. The ratchet wheel 29 is engaged The stud place by the holding spring.

by a pawl-rack 30 pivotally mounted on a flexible slide or metal ribbon 3l passing between a guide plate 32 and a wall or flange on the frame or holder 12, The flexible slide 3l, in the construction shown in Fig. l, is provided with an operating pin '33 extending outward through a slot 34 formed in a portion of the frame or holder 12, so that by means of said operating pin the pawl-rack 80 may be moved in a direction to partially rotate the ratchet wheel 29. rIhe said flexible slide 3l is retracted by the coil spring 35 attached at one end te the frame orholder l2 and at its other end to an ai'm on the said pawl-rack 30, and thus the said spring serves not only to retract the Y flexible slide 3l but also serves to hold the said pawl-rack yieldingly in engagement with the ratchet wheel 29 so that the pawl rack may slide freely backward over the teeth of the ratchet wheel when retracted by the said spring 35.

VFrom the foregoing it will be apparent that either of the rollers A or B may be intermittently rotated, when desired,for the purpose of winding the reading strip onto one roller and off from the other, and as the sai-d rollers will be rotated in opposite directions when engaged by the intermediate gear Wheel 33 one roller will be positively rotated to wind the reading strip thereon as the said reading strip is drawn from the other and freely rotating roller.

In the form .of the invention shown in Fig. 10 the handle 13a is formed of spring wire and one member of said handle is engaged with a pin 33a attached to the flexible strip 8l, so that when it is desired to rotate the'gear wheel 23, for the purpose of moving the reading strip in one direction or the other, it is only necessary for the reader to compress one member of the handle, as indicated by dotted lines, to rot-ate the ratchet Wheel 29 and the gear wheel 23 connected therewith, the handle assuming its normal shape by its own resilience, assisted, if need be, by the retracting spring 35 and the spring 35a mounted in the spring wire handle 13a.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. ll the handle 13b is formed of two members jointed together at 36, and in this form of. t e invent-ion a spring 37 will preferably be employed to return the yielding handle portion to its normal position after having been moved to the position denoted in dotted lines to'operate the ratchet wheel and gear wheel for the purpose of rotating one of the winding rollers.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. l2 is' similar to that shown in Fig. ll excepting that a coil spring 38 is interposed between the members of the handle 13c for the purpose of holding the movable member ofthe handle in its normal position or returning it thereto after it has been displaced therefrom.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the reading strip may be gradually i'ed from one roller A or B to the other, at the pleasure of the reader; and when the reader has completed the perusal of one side of the said reading strip the other side thereof may be brought into reading position in front ot the supporting plate D without requiring any adjustment of the rollers A or B, or without reversing the direction of travel of the said reading strip over the backing or supporting plate D. This will be understood by reference to sheet 3 of the drawings. Fig. 6 shows one end C of tln` read ing strip engaged with the roller B when the latter is empty, and when the said roller is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow the reading strip will be drawn upward over the supporting plate D with the face F of said reading strip Outward. When the said reading strip has been wound upon the roller B, as denoted in Fig. 7, and the roller A is empty, the end E of the reading strip will be disengaged from the roller A. and will be lifted up over the plate D and the roller B and will then be brought down to the position denoted by dotted lines in Fig. 7, so as to be carried around over the plate D and the roller B be again engaged with the roller A, as diagrainmatically illustrated by Fig. 8. Such a. disposition of the reading strip will reverse the saine and bring the face G outward into reading posi tion, and thus when the roller A. is positively rotated, through the mechanism hereinbefore described, to wind the reading stri p thereon, said reading strip will be drawn upward over the supporting plate D and will be finally wound upon the roller A, as diagrammaticall.7 illustrated in Fig. 9, in readiness to be again wound upon the roller when one end of said reading strip shall have been disengaged from the said ioller B and the strip again disposed as diagrammaticall'y shown in Fig. 6. From this it will be understood that both sides of the reading strip may be exposed to the view of the reader and may be gradually fed from one roller to the other in a simple and convement manner as the reading progresses.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Fat` ent:`

l. In a reading device to be supported manually by the reader, the combination with a holder provided with a handle, of two rollers mounted on said holder and adapted to detachably engage the oppositie ends of a reading strip, pinions for rotating said rollers, a shiftable gear wheel said pinions engagement with either of them, and means for intermittingly rotating said gear wheel,

said device comprising means whereby the path of travel of a reading strip may be changed when said strip is reversed and is to be reversely fed.

2. ln a reading device to be supported manually by the reader, the combination with a holder provided with a handle, of two rollers mounted on said holder and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a reading strip., pinions for rotating said rollers, a shiftable gear wheel mounted between said pinions and adapted to be moved into engagement with either of them, means for intermittingly rotating said gear wheel, a stud on which said shittable gear wheel is mounted, and a spring connected with said stud and provided with projections, said holder having a slot in which said stud is movable and having also two holes to receive said projections to hold said stud in either position to which it may be adjusted.

3. In a reading device to be supported manually, the combination with a holder provided with a handle, of two rollers mounted on said holder and adapted to engage opposite ends of a reading strip, pinions for rotating said rollers, a shitable gear wheel mounted between said pinions and adapted to be moved into engagement with either of them, means Jfor intermittingly rotating said gear wheel, said means comprising a ratchet wheel, a'spring-pressed pawl-rack engaging said ratchet-wheel, a manually movable operating pin, and a spring-retracted, flexible metal ribbon between said pin and said pawl-rack, said ribbon being guided within said holder.

l. ln a reading device to be held by the reader, the combination with a holder provided with a handle, of two rollers mounted on said holder and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a reading strip, pinions for Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

rotating said rollers, a shii'table gear wheel mounted between said pinions and adapted to be moved into engagement with either of them, means for intermittingly rotating said gear wheel, said means comprising a ratchet wheel, a rack engaging said ratchet wheel, a manually movable operating pin, a springretracted flexible metal ribbon within said holder and between said pin and said pawlrack, and a movable handle part connected with said pin to operate said connection.

5. ln a reading device, the combination with a holder provided with a handle and having centering pivot studs, two rollers the opposite ends oit which are engaged by said pivot studs, said rollers being adapted to hold, detachably, the opposite ends ot a reading strip, a centrally mounted spring bracket within said holder and in which bracket one set of said pivot studs are mounted, said bracket having parts extending outward through said holder and terminating outside ot said holder in finger pieces by means of which the said pivot studs may be moved away from the ends of said rollers when the latter are placed in or removed lrom said holder.

6. ln a reading apparatus, the combina-` tion with a holder comprising a backing or supporting plate, of a reading strip printed on both sides, two rollers adapted to engage and hold the opposite ends of said reading strip, and means 'for intermittingly rotating either of said rollers to feed the said reading strip from one to the other, said apparatus comprising means whereby the path of travel of said reading strip may be changed when said strip is reversed so that either side thereo may be presented outward over said backing or supporting plate.

ln testimony whereof l aiiX my signature.

JOHN FEGTER ANCONA.

Commissioner of ratents, 

